Paradise Lost

By John Milton

John Milton (1608 - 1678)

• English poet and historian. Considered one of the greatest poets of all time, second only to Shakespeare.
• Extremely strong and devoted Christian, believed in the authoirty of the Bible above all human institutions.
• Began losing his eyesight around 1660, and wrote his greatest work, Paradise Lost, after becoming completely blind.

Satan in Paradise Lost

Far from a cartoon villain, Satan is a complex character in Paradise Lost. Throughout the poem, he is clearly depicted as a fallen angel - full of the grace and beauty and intellect that God created him with, but turned towards selfish ends. His shame and pain can even draw the sympathy of readers at some points in the poem.

The Style of Paradise Lost

1. [Michael’s sword] from the armoury of God
2. Was given him tempered so, that neither keen
3. Nor solid might resist that edge: it met
4. The sword of Satan, with steep force to smite
5. Descending, and in half cut sheer; nor staid,
6. But with swift wheel reverse, deep entering, [tore]
7. All his right side: Then Satan first knew pain,
8. And writhed him to and fro convolved; so sore
9. The griding sword with discontinuous wound
10. Passed through him

Paradise lost is a blank verse poem, but it should be read like an ordinary book. Blank verse poems usually have slight pauses (think of commas) after each line, but Paradise Lost is best read by going straight from line to line, without pausing.

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Try reading the text on the right with no pauses between lines.